Calyptorhynchus lathami
The Glossy Black Cockatoo, *Calyptorhynchus lathami*, is a medium-sized and strikingly beautiful parrot endemic to eastern Australia, renowned for its highly specialized diet. Measuring around 48-50 cm (19-20 inches) in length and weighing between 420-570g, adults exhibit a predominantly dull black plumage with a distinctive, often glossy, sheen. Its most prominent field mark is the vibrant red tail panels, which contrast sharply with the black body. While males boast solid black plumage (exc...
Found primarily in open eucalypt woodlands and forests dominated by *Allocasuarina* (she-oak) species, from sea level up to around 1,200 meters in elevation.
Feeds almost exclusively on the seeds of *Allocasuarina* (she-oak) species, using its specialized bill to extract them from cones. Occasionally, it may consume seeds from eucalypts or larvae of wood-boring insects.
Glossy Black Cockatoos are diurnal, spending their days foraging and typically roosting communally in tall eucalypt trees at night. Their foraging strategy is highly specialized: they use their powerful bills to meticulously strip seeds from *Allocasuarina* cones, often holding the cone with one ...
The Glossy Black Cockatoo is endemic to eastern Australia, with its range extending from central Queensland south through eastern New South Wales and Victoria. There are three recognized subspecies, each with a distinct distribution. The nominate subspecies, *Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami*, is ...
Vulnerable
- The Glossy Black Cockatoo has a remarkably specialized diet, feeding almost exclusively on the seeds of just a few species of *Allocasuarina* (she-oak) trees. - Their powerful, bulbous bill is perfectly adapted to crack open the tough cones of these trees, leaving behind characteristic 'chewed'...